Spinning Madly
by chappysmom
Summary: Because, you just knew when Sherlock picked up a new hobby, he'd obsess until he knew everything, didn't you? Even if it's spinning yarn? (Part 4 of the Wood Work series.)


**Summary:** Because, having Sherlock learn to spin at the end of "Which Craft?" you just _knew_ the man would want to know _everything_, right? So ... a nice little one-shot.

**Note:** As always, I own nothing but my own plots, the rest belongs to ACD and the BBC. I just play here. Not beta'd or Brit-picked, so all mistakes are my own.

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"John, why did you never tell me?"

John just sighed. He'd created a monster, and he only had himself to blame. "Tell you what, Sherlock?"

"How fascinating spinning is."

Ever since the case last month at the craft show, Sherlock had become obsessed with spinning. John wasn't sure what had made him start, but Sherlock had asked John to show him how to use a drop spindle when they'd finished that case. Thinking it would distract Sherlock for a day or so, John had been happy to.

What he hadn't expected was that Sherlock became _enthralled_, as if bound up in the very yarn he was making. Once he had grasped the basics—which was all John knew how to teach (his own spinning skills were rudimentary at best)—he had quickly grown frustrated with the questions John couldn't answer.

_-"Does it matter whether the spindle goes clockwise or counter-clockwise?"_

_-"What is the optimal amount of twist in any one strand?"_

_-"Why do they call them 'singles?' That's ridiculous. How can you pluralize the word single?"_

_"-John! Did you know how many different types of wool there are?"_

_-"How do different staple lengths and crimps affect the spinning?"_

_-"What else can you spin? Dog fur would seem quite possible, from certain breeds, of course."_

_-"I just realized—why didn't you remind me that you can spin plant materials, too? Cotton, flax, hemp … that adds a whole new framework to explore. And, silk! Mustn't forget the variations on silk."_

Frankly, John was starting to worry about the way Sherlock was eyeing Mrs. Hudson's spinning wheel, and meanwhile, he was driving John mad with all the questions. Apparently Sherlock (being Sherlock) couldn't simply accept knowing the basics of an eons-old craft. He had to know_everything_.

John thought it was unfortunate that Sherlock couldn't just appreciate the meditative qualities of spinning. He was no expert, but one of the things he'd always liked about the craft was how it freed his mind to think. Spinning kept the fidgety, distracting thoughts occupied with the busy hands, so that the other levels of his brain could think about problems and puzzles … wood-carving worked the same way for him. He'd never been able to successfully meditate by sitting on a pillow and navel-gazing, but while working with something in his hands? It was perfect.

And unlike wood-carving, spinning had the hypnotic add-on of an ever-turning wheel (not to mention the absence of sharp objects to cut yourself with if you got too distracted).

At the very beginning, it seemed that Sherlock had actually discovered this himself—that spinning was actually conducive to thought. Once he had started to climb up the learning curve and his hands instinctively began to know what to do, he would stand in the sitting room, twirling his spindle with the same kind of absent-mindedness he sometimes used on his violin. He had even solved several cases while staring at the ever-spinning whorl at the end of his yarn.

For a moment, John had thought he had stumbled upon something to help Sherlock keep the boredom at bay.

And then Sherlock's … Sherlockness burst out and he began analyzing _everything_. Out of sheer self-defense, John started spending hours down in his workshop. He ordered copies of various books on types of wool and methods of spinning, and hoped for the best. (Sherlock and Alden Amos were meant for each other.)

If he had hoped it would stop there, though, he was mistaken. Suddenly the flat was awash in highly-technical DVDs and samples of fibers. Sherlock dove into the subject matter like he dove into any other … head-first, down deep, and at top speed.

John watched the transformation in amusement. Mrs. Hudson was delighted (though she refused to let Sherlock bring her spinning wheel upstairs), and John only wondered what would happen the next time Sally came to the flat. He wondered if Sherlock would ever stop sampling and testing long enough to spin enough yarn for an actual jumper … and then giggled at the thought of Sally then knitting it up. Really, in some ways it was a likelier partnership than any of their interactions at a crime scene, even if neither of them ever wore jumpers. (Well, he supposed Sally must when she was off work, or why else would she knit them?)

John smiled to himself and he buffed the curve of wood in front of him. He was nothing if not pragmatic, after all. He was frankly surprised Sherlock hadn't asked him to make one yet, but that was okay, he thought, putting the finishing touches on the spinning wheel. At least Sherlock should be pleased with his birthday present this year … his very own John Watson Special handmade spinning wheel.

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(And, Sherlock _was_-and pleasantly surprised to boot. But not nearly as surprised as John when that July, Mrs. Hudson presented him with a handknit jumper in yarn spun by Sherlock. John thought he'd never received a gift he loved so well.)

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**Note:** There's probably going to be one more part to this series, but that will likely be it ... just so you know!


End file.
